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FOREWORD

I wish to pay enormous tribute to the Hallmarks of Labour Foundation and the indefatigable author of this series of books, Chief Patricia Otuedon-Arawore, for continuing the well-established tradition of recognising Nigerians who have made—and continue to make—huge contributions to the progress of our country, Africa, and the world. It is a great honour and special privilege for me to write this brief Foreword to Volume 12 of the series, which features yet another set of four eminent Nigerians.

They are three highly accomplished intellectuals—Professor Akinjide Idowu Osuntokun, OON, HLR; Professor Oyewale Tomori, DVM, HLR; and Professor Is-haq Oloyede, CON, FNAL, HRH—and a distinguished jurist, Hon. Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, CFR, JSC (rtd.), HLR.

These distinguished Nigerians rose to the highest levels of their professional careers and made both national and international impact, thus becoming iconic role models. Their achievements are particularly relevant at a time when higher education and the judiciary are in an unprecedented state of crisis in our country. Their professional accomplishments, contributions, and the challenges they faced—and how they addressed them—are highly instructive for present and future generations of Nigerians.

In this regard, I take the liberty of highlighting, in some detail, their backgrounds, accomplishments, and special contributions to knowledge and society.

I begin, in no particular order, with Professor Akinjide Idowu Osuntokun, who combines the honours of being an academician, university administrator, diplomatic adviser, ambassador, biographer, editor, and environmentalist. His academic trajectory spanned three continents—Africa, Europe, and North America—where he obtained his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate degrees from the prestigious University of Ibadan, Dalhousie University in Canada, and the University of London respectively.

Professor Osuntokun taught at several universities in Nigeria (Ibadan, Lagos, and Maiduguri), as well as in Canada (Dalhousie University and the University of Western Ontario) and the University of the West Indies. In recognition of his outstanding career in academia, he was appointed Professor Emeritus at the University of Lagos and Redeemer’s University, Ogun State.

He served as Dean, Head of Department, and Member of the Governing Council of three universities—Redeemer’s University, Lagos State University, and the University of Maiduguri. Outside Nigeria, he was Director of the Nigerian Universities Commission offices in Washington, D.C., USA, and Ottawa, Canada. He also served as Diplomatic Adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and to President Olusegun Obasanjo as a Member of the Presidential Advisory Council on International Relations, as well as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Nigeria to the then West Germany.

A biographer of repute, Professor Osuntokun published landmark biographies of leading politicians of Nigeria’s First Republic, including Chief S.L.A. Akintola, Sir Kashim Ibrahim, and Chief Festus Samuel Okotie-Eboh. He authored over 20 books and monographs, edited more than 17 books, supervised numerous theses and dissertations, served on editorial boards of scholarly journals, and was General Editor of Spectrum Books on Nigerian biographies. He is a Fellow of the Historical Society of Nigeria and the Nigerian Academy of Letters, and a recipient of the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON). He is truly a Renaissance man— a valued colleague and personal friend for several decades.

Coming from a family and extended family of jurists and lawyers from Ilorin, Kwara State, I am deeply appreciative of Hon. Justice Dr. Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. She obtained her Diploma in Accountancy and Diploma in Law from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, before graduating with an LL.B. (Hons.) degree from the same institution. Called to the Nigerian Bar in July 1976, she earned a Master’s degree in Criminology from the University of Hull, United Kingdom. She is also a graduate of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of Lagos, and later obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the University of Maiduguri.

Following her retirement from the Judiciary in February 2018, she was appointed Commissioner I, Police Service Commission by President Muhammadu Buhari and later served as Acting Chairman from September 2022 until a substantive Chairman was appointed. She chaired Election Tribunals in Akwa Ibom State (1998) and Gombe State (1999). Among her many distinctions are being the first female judge in Borno State and the former North-East sub-region, as well as the first Bura indigene to be appointed a High Court Judge.

Hon. Justice Ogunbiyi is a Life Patron of the Boys’ Brigade of Nigeria and Church Adviser to the EYN Church of Nigeria. She has published widely and delivered papers at conferences in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. As the fourth female Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, she was truly a trailblazer and contributed immensely to the development of the rule of law. From my personal interaction with her during her tenure as Acting Chairman of the Police Service Commission—while I served as Chief of Staff to the President—her leadership in promoting professionalism in policing was exemplary.

Professor Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede and I have interacted closely for decades. I have watched with admiration his transformative leadership at the University of Ilorin as Vice-Chancellor and at the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) as Registrar. A distinguished Professor of Islamic Studies, his scholarly publications are impressive, and his mentorship of young academics has produced leaders who have significantly impacted Nigerian society.

Professor Oloyede has served as Chairman of the Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, President of the Association of African Universities, and Secretary-General of West African Universities, among other leadership roles. Beyond academia, he serves as National Coordinator of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council and Secretary-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs.

A transformational and creative leader, Professor Oloyede has consulted for several national and international organisations, including the World Council of Churches and the National Universities Commission. He is a recipient of numerous honours, including Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) and Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR).

Finally, and certainly not least, is Professor Oyewale Tomori, DVM, Ph.D., whose academic and professional journey spans decades. A graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and the University of Ibadan, he rose to full Professor at the University of Ibadan and served as Vice-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University. He is a Fellow and member of numerous prestigious scientific bodies worldwide and served as a reviewer for the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on the Global Response to Health Crises.

In conclusion, I strongly recommend Volume 12 of this important series to both specialists and general readers. The lives, achievements, and contributions of these eminent Nigerians have made a lasting and positive difference to our nation and to humanity at large.

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Professor Ibrahim A. Gambari, CFR, OCORT, HLR
Founder and Chairman, Board of Trustees
Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Development
& Democracy (SCDDD),
Abuja, Nigeria